


The Slap

by Xeen



Category: Stitchers (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-14
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-04-26 09:50:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 7,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5000191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xeen/pseuds/Xeen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The aftermath of the finale.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**THE SLAP**

 

[post season finale]

I don't own STITCHERS.

 

1.

 

"Cameron! CAMERON!"

Kirsten let the memories distract her and she killed him. Her entire body aches in ways she didn't know were possible, and it's not from the stitch. Tim is here to catch her when she finally collapses. She uses the unexpected momentum to get back on her feet. She pushes the engineer away, sucking in a ragged breath.

"CLEAR!"

She watched enough medical soaps with Camille to understand that what Ayo is doing doesn't work. Cameron's wishful thinking and scientific bravado didn't prove anything except that dead is dead. The thought disturbs her in a weird way, at least much more than it should. She's seen her fair share of corpses since she joined the program, then why should it feel any different because the body happens to be Cameron's? Why isn't she over it yet? She never experienced anything close to this pain, not when she watched her father leave, not even when she saw Ed lying at the morgue. And yet, Ed had been a significant character in her life. Cameron is just a co-worker.

She's angry, distressed. It doesn't compare to the residual emotions she experienced after she stitched into Julie or Lily. There's something else nagging at her. She'd really like to assess properly what's going on and just shut it down. She's unable to alleviate the strain. Worse, it's turning her into a helpless wimp. It's not who she is.

"I'm starting CPR," Ayo shouts, straddling the lifeless body.

Her eyes sweep swiftly across the lab. Somehow, she's relieved their reactions mirror her own. They seem affected to diverse degrees, her reaction must be within normal parameters. Camille silently sobs in Linus arms, her fists pressed to her mouth. The young scientist is livid. He holds on to his girlfriend as if he's going to faint. Bossy Maggie gave up all pretences and she looks like a wreck. As for Turner, it's a different story. Despite his initial command, the wrinkles on his forehead betray the wheels in motion in his head. It had not expected that Cameron would die.

She read once that chest compressions must be deep and steady. She starts humming under her breath the disco tune they use for medical training. Shocked eyes dart towards her and bore into her back, unbeknownst to her. _Staying Alive_. _Staying Alive_. _Somebody help me, yeah_.

She has no idea how long Ayo has been trying to revive Cameron. Her having no notion of time is something she's used to. It never seemed relevant to keep track until this very moment. In the midst of the chaos, exhaustion on Ayo's face is her sole indicator of the clock ticking. In any case, judging by how desperate her team worker looks, it's been too long already.

Feelings baffle her, nothing new either. When she turned down Liam's proposal, she tagged her answer under the honest thing to do and simply moved on. Before today, as much as she analyzed what she felt, it was an intellectual construct she repeatedly failed to understand. Apparently, stitching did change her. She can't label her emotions but she feels something. Something, whatever it is, she never felt when she was Liam's girlfriend. She's terrified. She doesn't want Cameron to be dead. It hits her like a ton of bricks. Liam was right. She cares for Cameron.

She takes a deep breath, afraid she can't stop her heart from bursting out of her chest. She focuses on his face but it only makes it worse. She needs to talk to him. He's in love with her, obviously, and if he stays dead, she'll never know what it's like to love him.

She won't allow it.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Slap**

  


I don't own Stitchers

  


... if he stays dead, she'll never know what it's like to love him.

She won't allow it.

"Move, I got this," she says, her voice harsh and low. As on cue, Tim lifts her up. Ayo nods, jumps of off Cameron, steps away, panting. Her eyes meet Maggie's. She shakes her head. "I'm sorry," she mouths.

"Come on, you can do it Cameron, come back, we need you," Kirsten chants along the Bee Gees song playing in her head, "I need you," she hisses frantic, willing him back to life, blowing air into his lungs between compressions. His mouth is cold, unresponsive. She keeps going, what else can she do?

"Kirsten, that's enough." Maggie's steely voice covers the heart monitor flat lining. "Ayo, call it. He's gone."

"NO, no!" Kirsten screeches. "Cameron, listen to me, I know you're in there. CAMERON!" A faint beep. "Cameron?" She stops the compressions, her palms resting flat on his chest, water dripping from her hair. She senses it faintly rise and leans into him. "It's me, Kirsten. Cameron, I know everything," she whispers to his ear. Another beep, another loop at a faster rate. Then nothing again. She freezes, along with everybody else around them. To her utter dismay, she can't help tears from pooling in her eyes. The first real tears she's had like forever. "Cameron?" she strokes his cheek. Desperate, she presses her lips on his.

His body responds by a steady beep while he blinks in a flutter of lashes. In a daze, she hears Camille commenting about fairy tales, true love kiss and Sleeping Beauty and makes a mental note of having a serious conversation with her roommate when all this nonsense is over.

"His vitals are stabilizing," Ayo announces.

"No ICU," Turner warns.

"I'll monitor him at the lab in case..."

"In case?" Kirsten spats. "He killed himself. Anybody in their right mind understands he needs 24/7 medical attention. IN A HOSPITAL."

"I am sorry Ms Clark, I simply cannot authorize this kind of attention to the Program. It's a potential risk to the work we..." Turner insists.  


"Should Cameron not receive the best care possible, I will go to the press and expose the Program," Kirsten states, her voice expressionless. "Make no mistake, Mr Turner, it was a threat."

"Okay people, regroup," Maggie raises her hands. "This particular boat hasn't sailed yet. No one is going to the press. Cameron will get the best care possible. In. the. lab. We have medical specialists dedicated to the program who can assist Ayo if need be. Now, please, Kirsten, let Ayo do her work."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying with him," Kirsten says matter-of-factly, still straddling him. She gently cups his head between her hands. "I want to know why he's not awake yet." Despite her steel resolve, she barely suppress the shiver in her voice.

"You must understand he's not out of the woods yet. There might be significant brain damage," says Ayo. Kirsten glares at her. She takes a step back. "It's possible that he's in a coma," she sighs.

"Why?"

"His body has been under tremendous stress..."

" _Light_..." Cameron stutters, " _bright_..."

"Lights to 20%, please Tim," Camille chimes in. "We don't want him to go blind because of us, it's something he's perfectly capable of doing on his own." Linus snorts, ogling his girlfriend. "Too soon?" she smirks.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Slap**

 

I don't own Stitchers

 

"Ayo," Camille whispers, surprising the young medical assistant when she exits the med bay. "A word, real quick?"

"Yes, of course, are you okay?"

"Yep, you know me, perfectly fine," she grins, "well, all things considered. Linus is crushed, he's being really difficult. He takes the blame for his friend going full Doctor Who on him, blah blah blah, long story, I don't want to bore you with the details. Anyway, I'm not here for Cameron, I want to talk about Kirsten. I'm… well, you know, concerned."

Ayo nods. "I am too. But she's determined to stay with him until I wake him up. I got a cot brought in that she didn't bother to sleep in once. She's been glued to him ever since we took him to the med bay. On the bright side, he's unconscious, so I'm guessing he doesn't mind."

Camille chuckles. "Should he be conscious, we all know he would relish some Kirsten canoodling anyway."

Ayo smiles. "Yeah, probably. He cares for her. It's not a big secret."

"They should have hooked up when she kicked Liam to the curb!"

"Liam?"

"Her boyfriend?"

"Oh… I had no idea. No wonder he went with the grand gesture. Cameron is a romantic. He fell for Marta too, you know. But I'm not sure they even dated before her accident."

"Really? What's wrong with sleeping together? Get it over with already! You make sure you have actually some chemistry going on, and the rest follows. That's dating 101 for you."

"I'm not sure I agree, but it can work," Ayo chuckles. "Anyway. My guess is Kirsten cares for him too, she just doesn't know."

"Tell me about it. They hang out like all the time. She likes him."

"She'll get there, eventually."

"So, as much as I like to discuss my co-worker lack of action, what's going on? She's been holed up in there since he crashed."

"She gives him basic care, like sponge bath or turning him every two hours or so."

"Shut the front door!"

Ayo ignores her. "Since we're understaffed and she won't let us approach him anyway, I let her. She's really good at it."

"You don't say."

"I didn't press about her obvious health issues neither. I'd rather avoid a fight."

"Health issues? Kirsten's sick?"

"She will, eventually, if she keeps being unreasonable. Currently, she's sleep deprived and living on adrenaline fumes, but she will crash sooner than later. Her temporal dysplasia gives her a tremendous advantage. She's been awake for more than a hundred hours and counting."

"Wow."

"Yeah, nothing I can do, really, apart shooting her with a trank gun. And don't get me started on her diet…"

"Nah, don't bother, she can live on energy bars and whatnot like forever. I witnessed her first hand when we were in college together."

"And there's the obvious issue with her lack of personal hygiene…"

"She really stinks, doesn't she," Camille grins, nostril flaring emphatically. "How did you get her out of the catsuit?"

Ayo shrugs her shoulders. "By force."

"Okay, I'll get her a change of clothes and point her to the shower."

"Thanks, that would be… an improvement."

"Don't mention it. How much longer do you plan to keep him in this induced coma?" Camille asks, straight to the point.

"Keeping him under is for his own good. I didn't assess any brain damage but keeping him sedated is the best course of action for now. Barbiturates will prevent the swelling of the brain."

"Listen, I googled all that, but like I said, my concern is for Kirsten at the moment, not Cameron. I'm sure he's going to be just fine. He's a nerd after all. He'll probably get through his near death, huh, scratch that, death experience, totally unscathed. Unless his ticker gives way when he wakes up and find Kirsten in his bed. Then all bets are off," she chuckles. "Hell, for all we know, he'll probably live another hundred years. Kirsten, on the other hand, she's something else entirely. She's not been her usual cheery self since he died." Ayo smiles. "I don't mean to get technical but she's a mess. She doesn't eat, she barely speaks, not that this one is really new. We need to get her out of there. The girl needs a mani-pedi and a real meal."

Ayo nods, radiating empathy. "Don't worry, she's okay. Being with Cameron is all she needs right now." She glances around to make sure nobody is eavesdropping. "Listen, I shouldn't tell you but she's your friend, right?" Camille bobs her head solemnly. Ayo inhales deeply. "Kirsten talks to him all the time, you know."

"Oh, she does? Oh my, this is worse than I feared. Spill it," Camille questions, her inner gossip girl coming up to the surface eagerly.

"And she cried…" Ayo deflects.

"Kirsten cries?! Hold the press!"

"Yes, she's been crying a lot at the beginning. I was concerned it'd wear her down because she was sobbing for hours. I eventually talked her into considering timing it on her phone."

"Kudos!"

"Anyway… She gradually stopped. Basically, now she just talks. She strokes his hand and she whispers to his ear. I think it's a good thing. Comatose patients can hear everything."

"Oh god, I hope they don't," Camille squeals. "If he can hear her, he'll never wake up!"

Ayo giggles. "You're soo bad. From what I heard…"

"I knew it! You've been spying on them right? I mean this from a strictly medical point of view, of course. Hit me, I swear I'm a tomb!"

"Well, she gives him… pet names."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. Dumpling, Gum Drop, Kale smoothie…"

"Kale smoothie?"

"Mon capitaine…"

"Oh, that's cute!"

"Anyway, I plan to wake him up by the end of the week, and then we can probably start some therapy."

"You mean as in shrink therapy?"

"More like light physiotherapy. He needs his strength back. It's the best way to know if he's really all right."

"You mean he's become a vegetable?"

Ayo shrugs her shoulders again. "We'll see. He can't go back to work just yet."

"Well, he'll stick to establishing more colonies in Catan, I guess." Ayo shoots her a puzzled look. "Maybe he can tag along with Linus to his zumba class?"

"That's the idea."

"Kirsten can jog anybody to exhaustion, but maybe it's not what you're after? I can take him shopping, talk about killing two birds with one stone. It'll be a nice change to have a shopping prescription. Not to mention unlimited budget, right? Nothing compares to Black Friday when you need to raise the dead from their grave, huh? Thanks for the update, Ayo, I owe you."

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

**The Slap**

 

I don't own Stitchers

 

Cameron awakes to the sound of the heart monitor, blinks. Unless heaven smells of detergent and ether, he's alive, still hooked to drips and machines, but alive and it hurts all over the place. Carefully, he looks around, his eyes adjusting to the dim lights. He's in the lab. Judging by the deafening silence, it must be night. There's a shock of blonde hair splayed out on his shirt. Kirsten is nestled against him. He tries to move but he can't.

_I'm paralyzed?_

He glances at the bluish glimmer coming from next door. Ayo must be here, he ponders before going back to oblivion. He slips in and out consciousness for a while, awaken by vivid nightmares. Flashes of Kirsten seizing in the fish tank, Kirsten being shot, Kirsten kissing Liam. At some point, the machines are gone except for the heart monitor. It makes him smile reflexively before the steady beeping lulls him back to sleep again.

He wakes up for good eventually and he can think again. Reality finally sinks in. _It worked._ His heart didn't give up. He doesn't even feel guilty for skipping the part where he was supposed to call his parents and say goodbye. He had no doubt he would die. He's not dead. Kirsten hovering over him calling his name like a mad woman comes to mind. The foggy memory brings a goofy grin on his face. For a second, he feels like a million bucks. Well, not so much to think of it.

_I'm alive and I'm running a fever_. He tries to move but can't, pinned down to the bed. His chest hurts like hell. _CPR, of course._ There's a numbness in his right arm that bothers him. This kind of side effects, it's not good. _Fantastic, I managed to cripple myself, great move Cameron. Was it a stroke? Lots of ways to impress a girl, and trying to cheat death isn't one of them. As if I ever had a chance._

"What are you wriggling about? Would you stop now, Cameron?" a female voice protests against his chin.

_Kirsten?_ "Stretch, what are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

"Sleeping."

"No, I mean…."

"I know what you mean, now go back to sleep. Plenty of time to argue tomorrow."

"Ace," he pleads. "What happened?"

"You're the man of science, so you know exactly what happened. What did you expect? You died, you were revived, you were having a hard time getting back to normal so Ayo put you inside a drug induced coma to protect your brain. Not that your dumb move demonstrates there was much saving to begin with. Just so you know, being on a coma doesn't come with super powers. It doesn't magically transform you into Captain America. You're not exactly a CG model at the moment. You're just an impaired version of yourself, and that's saying something. Now would you go back to sleep?"

"Stretch, are you mad at me?"

"You're not brain damaged, so you can probably figure out that one, smarty pants."

"But…"

"No but. What is it with you? You're a neuroscientist, you must know that you need to rest. I should get Ayo, she's in the next room." She doesn't move an inch. "Cameron?" Why would Kirsten sleep in his bed at the lab... Residual emotions. "Earth to Cameron? Do you need Ayo?" She sounds pissed. "She's been stuck here because of you, working overtime, but I'll wake her if it makes you feel any better."

"No, I'm ok. I'm parched though," he says tentatively.

"I'll get you a glass of water. You can drink right?"

"Yeah, I suppose I can."

"I will be back."

He chuckles at that. And she's gone, the fever's gone, the weight on his chest's gone, and his restless arm is coming back to life with a vengeance, the only tangible proof that he was not hallucinating.

"Here you go. Small sips," she says, helping him.

"I can do it," he protests feebly.

"No, you can't. You're barely alive as it is. You couldn't move a finger to save your life."

"You're probably right. My chest hurts."

"Good, it means you're healing."

"What?"

"Your little plan didn't work exactly like you envisioned. I broke two ribs when I performed CPR."

"You performed CPR? On me?"

"Nobody else was dead at the moment, so yes. Guilty as charged."

"How long have been unconscious?"

She chooses to deflect the question. "I hate to break it to you, but dosing you again would defeat the purpose of actually reviving you. Do you have a death wish Dr Goodkin? I could knock you off, though. Would that be satisfactory?"

"Will you stay with me until I'm asleep Ace?" he asks sheepishly. After all, he almost died, he deserves some attention.

"For your information, I have been here long enough to forget what fresh air and sunshine feel like. It's a long time, even for me. I have no intention of going anywhere now that you're supposed to be able to form coherent thoughts. Not that you're exhibiting any right now. One more thing, you hold on to that," she says, her face serious, handing him the quartz he gave her on the porch. "All things considered, you need it more than I do." She shoves it inside his hand and wraps his fingers around it. It's still warm from her body heat. With that, she snuggles up to him.

She's right, when her head rests on his chest again, he cannot think. He just grins like a fool. He doesn't remember falling back to sleep.

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

Cameron takes a careful bite, and almost chokes on it. "Hmmm, yummy! Who would have thought possible to get so many lipids and carbs into one single treat." He flips the sandwich and sniffs at it with a deep frown. "What is it?" he asks, nonplussed. He sits the food back on its plate, refraining from commenting any further.

"It's my BP&J special. As you can see, I batter and deep-fry it."

"Thank you so much, Camille, you shouldn't have," he tries.

"It's much better when it's hot," Linus beams at her enthusiastically. "It brings a totally new meaning to molecular gastronomy. Not that I don't like your cooking, bro, but let's be honest, it's a welcome change to know what is it you actually eat."

"That's good to know. Maybe later then," Cameron funny face speaks volumes.

"Or not," Camille scorns. "I figured one would be pleased to go back to the basics after tasting Kirsten gourmet cuisine. Someone definitely lost his manners along with his life," she states. "Later it is, then."

"Guys! I'm bored out of my mind! Why can't I have access to my work? I'd settle for a 5' tablet! A phone?"

"No," Kirsten interjects from the door. She carries a bunch of files. "You're officially on leave, off the grid. No Internet connexion, no work, you have to rest."

"I've been resting for a lifetime, please have some compassion."

"I'm probably not the right person you should ask then," she shrugs. "But Ayo was saying a moment ago she'd let you off the hook today, if you promise to behave."

"I will promise anything, Sweet Pea. Please, get me out of here."

"Don't sweet pea me. I'll see what I can do to speed up the process."

Cameron can't believe he's back in his apartment. Well technically, the apartment his parents bought him when he was supposed to join the MIT. For once, he's glad he doesn't have also money problems. Having his life back is complicated enough as it is.

He cannot believe Maggie signed his early release without blinking. She merely told him she looked forward to working with the whole gang again as soon as Ayo gives him a clean bill of health. She was willing to put the whole program on indefinite pause and wait for him to be back. Being dead has definitely its perks, he chuckles to himself. Still, that was weird. He should spin it with Kirsten.

He suspects that his blonde partner had a role in his being on bed rest at his place.

Anyways, he'll have time enough later to dwell on the terms of his release. He flops down on the couch, eager to go online for some well deserved gaming time. He winces from the pain. He's still hurting from his broken ribs. He was so excited to be out of the lab, it totally skipped his mind. He has to be more careful. He squirms and writhes for a bit until he's comfortable enough to hold a gaming pad and breathe at the same time. When he eventually manages to do both, exertion takes its toll and he falls asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

 

 

"I brought you soup. It would be easier if you sit at the table, unless you need to be spoon-fed," an emotionless voice awakes him. It's dark outside. _Crap, I missed my first day as a free man._ How could he let this happen? He focuses on the silhouette facing him. "Kirsten? How did you get in?"

"I opened the door with Linus key."

"Linus has a key to my apartment?"

"Obviously, otherwise you would be currently trying to get up and go the front door to stop my obnoxious knocking. So, do you want me to help you with the soup or not?"

"No, no," he huffs, "I can feed myself, thank you very much, I'm a grown man." Despite his efforts, he can barely move, wriggling around like a tortoise on its back. "And I do need help, please, Stretch?"

When he's done with his dinner, Kirsten offers her arm. "Don't be alarmed, I'm not doing this out of the goodness of my heart. I reasoned it'd be less stressful to have me around than the nurse that was supposed to assist you. I had to promise Maggie I'll watch you."

"A nurse? What was wrong with a patented nurse?"

"A patented six foot ten two hundred pounds bearded ex army nurse?"

"Right, not quite the picture what I envisioned."

"That said, you need a bath."

"That is impossible," he grins. "All I have is a shower."

"Very funny Dr Goodkin. I see you're back to usual yourself. Go get clean or I'll hose you myself." She glares at him but he can see her mouth twitch. He ducks his head and looks down at his feet. "Sorry, that was uncalled for, thanks for being here for me, Princess." He gives her a sheepish glance.

"Where else would I be, dopey? Now go. You don't want to test me."

He feels redness creep on his face, slowly turns around and drags himself about to the bathroom. He pushes the door behind him, peels of his shirt, shucks off his pants with a groan. While the water heats up, he takes a moment to look at himself in the mirror. His hands skims down to his stomach. He lost some serious weight, his chest is badly bruised and his face is gaunt behind the stubble. He looks like a ghost. So much for romanticising being alone at his place with Kirsten for the first time since… he died.

When the mirror begins to fog, he realizes self-pity made him lose track of time and as quickly as he can gets under the warm spray. Too hot, he hisses, biting the inside of his cheeks. Better, he nods, letting the water run down his body.

"Everything okay in there?" Kirsten says on the other side of the shower door. "Cameron?"

He hears panic in her voice, something entirely new and so out of character he never thought it possible.

"I'm all right. Just trying to relax. No need to be alarmed, sweet heart."

"I don't do alarmed," she quips. He can see her stand vigil through the frosted glass, arms crossed over her chest. "You've been there a total of eighteen minutes and forty five seconds, and that was last time I checked. It's a record even compared to the average amount of time Camille spends in the shower."

"I take your word for it."

"Should I join you to help or should I assume it is your usual MO?"

"No! I mean, thank you, but no, please, don't. Could you wait… I don't know… elsewhere?"

"Why would I do that? I cannot risk you to fall and hurt yourself."

"I promise I won't."

"You cannot promise that, Cameron. You're not a clairvoyant."

"May I remind you how pissed you are when I act overly protective with you?"

"It's different. I'm reckless, you're an idiot."

"Really? This is where you're going?" he whines.

"I value life, you killed yourself."

"It was to protect you!"

"Duh. Wrong answer again. If I remember correctly, it was to get a number on a licence plate which for your information proved to be useless. For a genius, your solution seems pretty lame in retrospect. Not to mention harsh."

"I won't die in the shower. Now go make us some hot cocoa or something. Pretty please?"

"No can do. I jettisoned the content of your fridge before it envisioned the possibility of snatching the bodies of your neighbours."

"Nice. You never cease to impress me, Stretch."

"And look at me, I don't even have to die."

God, it was going to be a long time before she forgives him, he thought. "Please, all I'm asking is a bit of privacy, Ace, I'll be right with you."

"Okay… but I'm timing this. You have five more minutes before I get you out with my bare hands if I have to."

 


	7. Chapter 7

  


Kirsten sprints from the bedroom, clad in her favourite Cameron's red plaid shirt, one of his boxer shorts clanging loosely on her slim figure. She takes a deep breath, combs her hair with one hand and frowns, her body tensing. She stops a few inches from him, pokes him in the back.

Cameron turns around with a start. "Hey, Sunshine, you're awake," he fake cheers.

"What are you doing?" she deadpans.

Maybe if he doesn't acknowledge her current mood, it will go away. "I made us my personal cold brew smoothie. Coffee concentrate which I make myself with a French press..."

"Of course, you do," she snaps, crossing her arms over her chest with a scowl.

He continues, trying to appear unfazed. "... two cups of grounded coffee in one liter of room temperature filtered water, you stir and leave it up on the counter for twelve hours to steep. The next morning you just have to plunge the press. I figure to have some concentrate in the fridge comes in handy. I blend it with coconut milk, pineapple chunks, water, hemp seeds for me, a dash of agave nectar for you, et voilà!"

"Are you done babbling?" She doesn't leave him time to answer. "Why are you here?" she pushes, eyebrows raised to the line of her hair.

He flashes a weak smile. "It is my apartment, duh," he shrugs.

"Why are you in the kitchen?" she manages, her anger simmering.

"Like I just said, I made us coffee smoothies," he says again tentatively. "It's not a peace offering, it's only a different way to get caffeine. Aren't you going to give it a try?" he offers, handing her a glass.

"Clearly, you're insane," she spits, banging the kitchen island with her fist, jolting him.

"Hey, relax Princess, it's just coffee..."

"I don't understand, Cameron. You died on purpose. You. Were. Dead. I couldn't go to Camille, she was too busy taking care of devastated Linus who blamed himself for not talking you out of it. Ergo, there was nobody I could share that loss with. I had literally no shoulder to cry on."

"I've never seen you cry," he muses, "I'm sure it wasn't that bad. See, I'm still alive."

"Seriously? I missed you Cameron. I missed my friend."

The massive reveal is enough for Cameron to dismiss being put in the friend zone, --again. "But I was only gone for like ten minutes," he argues, "even less for all I know."

"Exactly. Gone being the operative word." He raises a finger, opens his mouth, but she doesn't stop. "You know, I've been reading a lot after your little stunt. Did you know that people can be revived after seventy eight minutes depending on their body temperature? Seventy eight minutes, that's a long time, especially when time means something. It doesn't mean anything to me Cameron, you of all people should know that. You were dead. Period. You might as well have been dead for weeks, decades. But it hurt. It hurt a lot. I couldn't get over it. In my mind, you were…" she bits her lip, "in a death loop. I couldn't get out of it."

He stares at her, his eyes going from his drink to hers then back at her. Here it comes, the apologizing argument they didn't get the chance to have, yet. Well, he has managed to push it off as long as it was humanly possible. He's ready. Sort of. "I'm sorry Kirsten, I didn't think…"

"Right," she interrupts, "you didn't! And don't Kirsten me!" Her face convulses with all the rage she has hold inside until this moment.

She slaps him.

He holds on to their drinks for dear life. The liquid sloshes and spills over onto his shirt. He yelps and jumps away from her, sits swiftly their two glasses on the counter, making inadvertently another mess, swears between his teeth resisting the urge to clean it right away. "You hit me! Why would you do that?!" he squeals.

"If you're well enough to make us breakfast, you're well enough for a minor injury." Her hand raises again and this time he grabs her wrist mid-strike.

"Why do you do that?" he asks more gently.

"Didn't you hear what I said? I wasn't over it instantly. It's the first time it didn't work... I mean I just couldn't."

"Oh…" he says, his voice gentle.

"Oh? That's it? What does it mean, Cameron? Is it, I don't know, a temporary after effect from the stitch?"

As much as he'd like it to be something more, he refuses to go to the simplest conclusion. As much as he wants to, someone like Kirsten Clark will never reciprocate his feelings. And yet, once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth. "Would you be willing to try something for me?" he asks her.

  



	8. Chapter 8

 

"Would you be willing to try something for me?" he asks her.

She looks at him expectantly. "Yes, of course, anything."

"Okay, let's try this. But first, sit please. No, no, no on a stool, for god's sake," he says, and takes her by the shoulders. "I need you to be comfortable, I need 'us' to be comfortable. To be honest with you, if I stand for another minute, I'm afraid I'm going to faint." Her face melts in anguish. "I'm joking, well at least I think I am, don't hit me again, please?" He moves them quietly to the couch. "Right here. Now close your eyes, do your temporal dysplasia thing. Take me through what happened and what you saw in the stitch. Can you do that for me, is it all right?"

"Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be?" She huffs. She closes her eyes which makes it a lot easier for Cameron to hide his disappointment.

"What do you see?"

"We are in the lab arguing with Turner about your stupid idea. You inject yourself anyway."

"Go on."

"You... you call for help. I thought you called for help but… you collapse in my arms. You're a lot heavier than I thought."

"That's what you remember? That my weight doesn't meet your expectations? I exercise!" he protests.

Her eyes snap open. "Shall I go on or not?"

"I mean, it's kind of weird. Anyway, keep your eyes closed, come on Stretch, no cheating."

She closes her eyes, shakes her head, denying the idea with a wave of the hand. "You're dead now. They don't want me to stitch in. Do you remember what you said? _Do not not do this_." Eyes closed, she reaches out to him and he takes her hand. She flinches at the contact and stiffens for a second. "We don't have enough time to do things properly. Someone helps me into the catsuit."

He grins. She changed in the lab in front of the whole team because of him? Wow, nice. Too bad he missed it.

"I'm in the tank, now. I'm in your head." She shivers. Cameron strokes the back of her hand with his thumb. "I didn't know." Her eyes snap open again. "Cameron, you have to believe me. I didn't know."

"You didn't know?" Cameron looks puzzled. "You mean you thought I knew the number on the licence plate? Stretch, what's wrong, talk to me!"

"I didn't know," she says again, looking miserable.

"Listen. Camille told me you were in the zone during the stitch. She asked me if it wasn't uncommon to lose control of the mouse. Listen to me Stretch, it NEVER happens because it's not supposed to. The program isn't designed that way. You have to tell me what you see."

She closes her eyes and complies. "I'm bouncing all over your memories, it's very fast. It's never that fast," she comments. "I'm in your kitchen. I'm pissed. You made us a kale smoothie for breakfast. And we're in the lab. I kiss you…" she stalls. Her shoulders droop. "You kiss me back."

He holds his breath. Oh god, this is bad. That first stitch and the morning after, it was a total mess. She's not supposed to know.

"You watch me dance, it pleases you. You think I'm… beautiful? I… I'm trying to understand what it is to feel something. I ask you."

Oh my, this will not end well, he thinks, holding to her hand like a life line. "You're doing good, Pumpkin," he says quietly.

"You're devastated."

"What?"

"I kissed Liam."

"Oh, that?" Though she can't see, he waves his hand dismissively. "It was nothing."

"I'm so sorry Cameron!"

"He's your fiancé," he tries.

"No he's not," she says defiantly. "And you give me the crystal. To protect my heart."

"Okay."

"And then you kill yourself."

"I didn't!" he protests. "There was a strong probability that Ayo could revive me."

"Probability, really?" she shouts. "You were willing to sacrifice yourself based on statistics?"

"I wasn't!"

"You gave me the crystal. You could have died because of me!"

"Stretch, the crystal has no magical powers, you know that, right? I was just trying to comfort you. You just broke your engagement and you called me…"

"Liam was not my fiancé, how many times do I have to tell everybody? We were never engaged. But I understand, it was… a romantic gesture, right?"

"What if it was?"

But she closes her eyes and continues. "I'm in the street. I watch you walk past Barbiero. It's useless, blurry. I cannot read the plate."

"And you make the bounce."

She opens her eyes. "No." She sits up, letting go of his hands. "I don't, because I'm pulled to another memory."

"Really? Camille left that out of her report…"

"She didn't mention it because I didn't tell her. I didn't tell anyone. You're at the hospital," she says. She stares at him, eyebrows frowned.

"After the shooting?" he asks, puzzled.

"No. You're a child. You just had your surgery. You're alone, you're at the hospital, you walk down the hallway. The cute nurse likes you."

"Nancy," he reminisces. "Yeah, she took pity on me, I guess. I remember I was so bored. My parents were away for a series of conferences around the world for weeks."

"Oh my god, they left you alone? What kind of parents would do that?"

He shrugs, avoiding her eyes. "You'd have to ask them, we never really discussed it."

"You're in a room now. There's a woman in her bed, she's in a coma. A little girl is painting her nails. The father is asleep in an hospital chair."

"I don't remember. I met lots of people," he says quietly. "You have to understand I was there for several months. After that, it was even worse. When I came back home, my parents kind of kept me locked inside. I was home schooled, I had no friends, not even a dog or a hamster. They were too afraid I might catch some bug."

"You tell the girl her mom is going to be okay. You say she can trust you."

"Oh, that's sweet. Too bad we can't know if her mother made it. Unless. Did you see a name tag or something?"

It's Kirsten's turn to shrug. "She didn't make it. As we both know, my father used an untested equipment to wake up his wife and I ended killing her."


	9. Chapter 9

"Wait, it was your mother and you're the little girl? You didn't tell Camille?"

"Isn't it what I said?" she protests half heartedly ignoring the question. "You don't listen. I was pulled to this specific memory before bouncing out. We met before. Obviously I don't remember because of my condition." She continues without skipping a beat. "Cameron, did you keep it from me?"

His frail body sags more. "Still not trusting me, huh? Okay." He sighs heavily. "For Christ's sake Goose, that's all you can come up with, that I lied to you?" He lets go of her hand, repressing a bout of anger. He tries to hide his disappointment. Barely. "Of course I didn't know. More importantly, they set us up..."

"You think?" she says pointedly.

He shrugs, ignoring the sarcasm. "Maggie recruited you because you're Stinger's daughter," he begins, feeling the urge to put the charade into words, "not even Marta was that tuned to the computer. Now, we know they needed us both. A combination that doesn't bode well for our future and I think begs the question of what we really know about the stitchers program. Or Liam for that matter."

"I asked myself the same thing. I don't know, he seemed honest."

"Exactly my point!"

"And I met him years ago," she argues.

"So what? They probably kept an eye out for you since you were a child. Liam could have been embedded in your life as far as we know. You're the perfect patsy!"

"You don't have to be rude!"

"I'm not. I'm… concerned."

"Mmmm… So you're the jealous type," she muses.

"No I'm not! I mean why would I be, I'm nobody," he says tentatively.

"Seriously, not again, I apologized already."

"Yes you did, sorry Princess."

"So are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Don't play dumb, it's not sexy."

Feeling his ears going bright red, "And what if I am, jealous I mean?" She tilts her head with a smirk. "There's not much I can do against it," he says quietly, taking back her hands in his, glancing at her sheepishly, his gaze flickering to their hands.

"Well you could at least try," she smiles. "Jealousy is a concept I can't wrap my head around. I understand functional human beings need feelings to interact. But we already establish feelings aren't part of my skill set. Maybe I'll never be really... functional."

Not the time to dwell on the subject, he decides. "So you think I'm sexy?" he asks instead flashing her a perfect puppy smile.

"Yes. You're brilliant, a borderline genius, you're fit, you were fit," she corrects, her eyes grazing his shirt. "I like the way your mouth twitch when you speak," she adds, "and Camille says your eyes are to die for. But I'm not usually attracted to awkward nerds. And yet you're like a magnet. Does it make sense?"

Cameron does his best not to gape. She gave it a lot of thoughts. She's not the Kirsten he knew. This one is a different animal entirely. Still blunt though. "Full disclosure?" he finally says. She gives him a puzzled look. "I heard what you said when I was in a coma. Maybe not everything, but some. A lot. You don't have to be afraid. It's me, Cameron. I mean you don't have to pretend, we're still friends, right?"

"Oh," she mouths silently. She leans in closer, avoiding his intent stare. "You remember?"

He nods seriously. "And you've been in my head, so you probably know more about my feelings than I'd like you to."

"Where does that leave us?" When he doesn't answer, she bites her lip. "Cameron, are we in love?" For a moment, he can't think of anything clever to say. She was engaged to Liam, she must know how it feels, at least in some capacity, he thinks. "Cameron? Is it how love feels?" she insists. "Because if it is, I'm not a fan. It hurts in so many ways I can't begin to describe it. If this is what it is, I need your help, I don't know what to do."

He hesitates. What the hell. "You were in my head," he says again. "You must know I'm in love with you, Kirsten."

"But how do you know?" She sounds desperate.

Oh God, this is exhausting. "I just know."

"It's not helping."

"I want to be with you all the time. When I'm not, I feel incomplete. I long for the next time we are together. I need to have a physical connection with you. And when I touch your hand or your hair, it's… electrifying."

"Hormones," she deadpans, ignoring his _Grease_ reference.

"Yes, hormones. Right. Like when you couldn't stop talking to me or stroking my hand when I was unconscious. Assaulting an unconscious man is a felony, you know."

To his surprise, Kirsten's cheeks turn a light shade of red. "I kissed you one time!"

She kissed him and he can't remember, they're even now. It's his turn to turn pink. "And it didn't work."

"Modern medicine, induced coma, you're a man of science, you know it doesn't work like that."

"Who knows?"

"We don't live in a fairy tale, you're not Sleeping Beauty!"

"Everyone is entitled to a true love kiss Princess."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously." He takes a deep breath, eyes locked on her mouth.

"Are you going to kiss me?" she asks.

His eyes flutter from her mouth to their intertwined hands. "No, of course not! We're friends, I won't…"

She leans in, snakes her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. "Why not? Call it an experiment." She plants a light kiss on his mouth with a contented sigh and keeps their foreheads connected.

"… unless you want to. I'm ready to try again, -for the sake of science. Don't forget to breathe," she whispers against his mouth.

"You're ruining it, Ace," his mouth twitches up in a smile.

She leans forward again, her hands slipping behind his back. She pulls him to her gently and pushes herself to him finally kissing him. "You can touch me you know," she says, reaching for his hands.

He shakes his head, his mouth resting on the bird of her neck. "Only if you want my death on your conscience," he whispers back. "Still recovering and all."

"All that time I thought you were willing to die for me," she says playfully, "when it was just a sham. Stop being such a drama queen Goodkin, I promise I won't stop your heart."

"You can't promise that Pumpkin…" She fixes her gaze on his face with alarm. Before he knows it, her hand flies to his chest, checking. "I'm okay Kirsten, trust me, unless you sleep in my bed tonight. Then I can't promise anything."

"You know I got to keep an eye on you." She curls up on the couch away from him, and hugs her knees to her chest. "I'll sleep on the floor by your bed if I have to. You can't make me sleep on the couch."


End file.
